REACTION: PIRATES TOP THREE DROP SINGLE POINT IN PLAY OFF SEMI

Poole will make the long trek to Cumbria on Saturday knowing that if they can score thirty nine points or more at the league's newest venue then they will be in the Grand Final for the the fourth successive season.
 

The Wessex Marine Pirates dug deep against the Workington Comets to eventually come out as 52-38 winners in the first leg of the play-off semi-final with their top three averaged riders dropping just one point between them.

Testimonial man Richard Lawson recorded a full house across his five rides and skipper Ben Cook scored a paid maximum over his five outings, whilst only Lewis Kerr, guesting for the Comets, was able to deny Tom Brennan a maximum score.

Asked about the importance of not dropping a point to an opponent, skipper Ben Cook said "for sure it is especially at this time of the year when the meetings are so n important this time of the year and Me and Richard (Lawson) did that tonight and Tom (Brennan) only dropped one so yeah, all the boys went and dug in and did their bit and its what we need this time of year. We need a good lead going there and hopefully its enough."

Poole might well have had a slightly bigger margin to take with them, had Zach Cook not picked up unwanted grip in heat fourteen as he sought to try and pass Leon Flint . His fall handed Workington an awarded 1-5, their only heat advantage across the fifteen heats.

The Pirates had their preferred one-to-seven together for the first time since July 31st with Vinnie Foord back from injury. The youngster weighed in with a commendable three points, including a third place behind Sam Hagon's victory in heat eight, Hagon's first win in nineteen rides being a huge confidence booster for him.

POOLE 52 ,Richard Lawson 15 (3,3,3,3,3) ,Ben Cook 13+2 (3,2',3,3,2') ,Tom Brennan 10 (3,3,3,1) ,Zach Cook 5 (1,3,1,F) ,Sam Hagon 4 (0,1,3,0) ,Vinnie Foord 3 (2,0,1,0) ,Tobias Thomsen 2+1 (1',0,0,1)
WORKINGTON 38 ,Paul Starke 10+1 (3,2,2,1',2) ,Leon Flint 9 (2,2,2,3,0) ,Troy Batchelor 6+1 (1',2,2,0,1) ,Lewis Kerr 5+1 (2,0,1',2) ,Antti Vuolas 4+2 (0,1',1',2) ,Jason Edwards 4 (1,1,0,2) ,Sam McGurk 0 (0,0,0,RS)

Photo Credit: Tony Hartmann

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